CHARLOTTE – Clients who come in rarely tell me about any swelling on their body, unless it’s an injury or something they can’t manage. When I ask about the swelling responses include their diabetes, an ankle or foot injury, or other various reasons they might have this issue.

What is swelling exactly? Swelling occurs when a part of the body increases in size, typically as a result of inflammation, injury, or fluid retention. Some people might have edema which is when the blood vessels burst and cause fluid to leak within their tissues.

What causes edema? It could be as simple as standing on your feet all day, too long, or on a hard surface. It could be the medications that you might be taking. Something as simple as your salt intake might cause edema, but there can also be serious causes as well such as heart failure or organ diseases (such as liver or kidney disease).

Your massage therapist can’t diagnose your edema but can bring it to your attention. They might also encourage you to see your physician. Is massage good for edema? Yes. Massage can encourage the fluid to flow through the lymphatic system so your body can get rid of the excess. The massage generally is a lighter pressure when working on this procedure. Plus, it will probably feel good to have those areas touched in order to encourage healing or manage those areas when the issue arises. (Swelling can be acute or chronic. Acute more so with injuries).

-Lisa Lane (#13098) is a licensed massage therapist in Mint Hill. To make an appointment go to www.ncmassagesanctuary.massagetherapy.com.